Public Lands: The Evolution of America's Best Idea

26/07/2024

21/07/2024

20/07/2024

20/07/2024

SR 20 NORTH CASCADES HIGHWAY IS OFFICIALLY OPEN AGAIN!

As of 1 p.m. Friday, July 26, State Route 20 North Cascades Highway has reopened near Granite Creek (mileposts 148-157), following a multiday closure due to fire activity from the Easy Fire.

Fire crews have been removing trees and brush adjacent to the highway and will continue fire migration work in the area.

That means flagger-controlled traffic and pilot cars from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. Expect delays of 30 minutes to allow fire crews to safely remove trees and brush from the roadway.
Please do not pull of the highway between mileposts 148 and 157 and remain alert for fire response and maintenance crews throughout the mountain passes.

There are no detours on Forest Service roads. Never pass flaggers or pilot cars.

We know many of you are eager for the roadway to reopen, but please be courteous and look out for each other. The last thing anyone wants is a crash that closes the highway again because someone was traveling carelessly, too fast or unaware of their surroundings.

17/07/2024

15/07/2024

Lake Powell has reached its highest elevation for Water Year '24, standing tall at an impressive 3,587.17 feet above sea level! 📈 That's 3 feet higher than last year and nearly 48 feet higher compared to 2022. The lake's elevation will continue to decrease until next spring's runoff occurs.

📸 Reclamation photo

15/07/2024

Towering dunes, incredible recreational opportunities and some of the darkest skies in the country await visitors at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan.

Home to more than 65 miles of pristine sand, the park offers incredible opportunities to watch the sunset, the Milky Way and occasionally the northern lights.

Photo by Michele Aucello

15/07/2024

15/07/2024

The audacity of this orchid is off the charts.

The pink lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule) is quite something. This showy orchid is found across much of the eastern half of the United States and typically blooms between May and July.

Here's the best part about pink lady's slipper - they kidnap bees! Ok, it's more of a bee-nap. Various bee species are the main pollinator of this orchid. The bee is lured in by the bright color of the flower. Ooooo, the bee must think. There must be some delicious nectar inside. WRONG! There is a small opening at the front of the flower petal. Once inside, the bee is trapped, and it can't go back out. And the worst is, there's no sweet nectar reward. It's the ultimate catfish!

There's only one way out for the trapped bee, and that's to go through a small opening at the top of the flower. This is a tight squeeze for the bee and as it exits, it rubs up against the pollen of the flower. After it makes its escape from the catfish orchid, it will fly off covered in its pollen and be lured in again by another pink lady's slipper to help pollinate the next generation.

Photo by Keith Ramos/USFWS

14/07/2024

Klamath Chief overlooking Crater Lake, Oregon. 1923. Photo by Edward Curtis

11/07/2024

Highway in Death Valley National Park, USA 🇺🇸

Death Valley National Park, located in eastern California and partially extending into Nevada, is known for its extreme landscapes and unique geological features. It covers an area of about 3.4 million acres (13,650 square kilometers) within the Mojave Desert. Key features include dramatic terrain like salt flats, sand dunes, badlands, canyons, and mountain ranges. It is home to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level. The park experiences extremely hot summers and mild winters, with temperatures reaching record highs. Major attractions include Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Devil's Golf Course, and diverse desert wildlife such as bighorn sheep, coyotes, and kit foxes.

15 Scenic Roads In The US Everyone Should Drive Down At Least Once
🔗👇 Read More

11/07/2024

Badlands National Park in South Dakota ❤️

08/07/2024

Never forget...